In order to fire a projectile, a firearm utilizes an ignited propellant to create a high-pressure pulse of hot gases behind the projectile to force the projectile down the barrel of the firearm. When the high-pressure gases exit the barrel of the firearm, they generate a loud noise, commonly referred to as a “muzzle blast.” Noise suppressors are commonly used with firearms, such as rifles and handguns, to reduce muzzle blast. To reduce muzzle blast, suppressors attach to the end of the firearm barrel and allow the high-pressure gases to expand, and thereby dissipate pressure, before exiting the firearm. By allowing the pressure behind the projectile to dissipate before exiting the firearm, a firearm suppressor can significantly reduce muzzle blast.
In order to allow the high-pressure gases to expand before exiting the firearm, a noise suppressor creates a significantly larger volume than exists in the firearm barrel. Noise suppressors can create this larger volume through a series of chambers, which are often referred to as “baffles.” As the projectile exits the firearm barrel, high-pressure gases expand through the series of baffles, which reduces the noise from the muzzle blast. In general, the larger the volume created through the series of baffles, the more effective the noise suppressor is in reducing muzzle blast. However, increasing the size of the baffle design also typically increases the size and/or weight of the noise suppressor, which can have negative effects on the overall performance of the noise suppressor. Moreover, baffle designs in current noise suppressors do not fully suppress the muzzle blast.
Accordingly, there is a need for a noise suppressor design that further improves the reduction of muzzle blast without increasing the size or weight of the noise suppressor.